This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Marshall, P A
Right arrow Articles by Fletcher, M
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Marshall, P A
Right arrow Articles by Fletcher, M
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by Marshall, P A
Right arrow Articles by Fletcher, M

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Appl Environ Microbiol. 1989 November; 55(11): 2827-2831

Response of microbial adhesives and biofilm matrix polymers to chemical treatments as determined by interference reflection microscopy and light section microscopy.

P A Marshall, G I Loeb, M M Cowan and M Fletcher

Center of Marine Biotechnology, University of Maryland, Baltimore 21202.

ABSTRACT

The polymers involved in the adhesion of Pseudomonas fluorescens H2S to solid surfaces were investigated to determine whether differences between cell surface adhesives and biofilm matrix polymers could be detected. Two optical techniques, i.e., interference reflection microscopy (IRM) and light section microscopy (LSM), were used to compare the responses of the two types of polymer to treatment with electrolytes, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), and Tween 20. To evaluate initial adhesive polymers, P. fluorescens H2S cells were allowed to attach to glass cover slip surfaces and were immediately examined with IRM, and their response to chemical solutions was tested. With IRM, changes in cell-substratum separation distance between 0 and ca. 100 nm are detectable as changes in relative light intensity of the image; a contraction of the polymer would be detected as a darkening of the image, whereas expansion would appear as image brightening. To evaluate the intercellular polymer matrix in biofilms, 3-day-old biofilms were exposed to similar solutions, and the resultant change in biofilm thickness was measured with LSM, which measures film thicknesses between 10 and 1,000 microns. The initial adhesive and biofilm polymers were similar in that both appeared to contract when treated with electrolytes and to expand when treated with Tween 20. However, with DMSO treatment, the initial adhesive polymer appeared to contract, whereas there was no change in thickness of the biofilm polymer. These results indicate that both polymers bear acidic groups and thus act electrostatically with cations and are able to enter into hydrophobic interactions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Appl Environ Microbiol. 1989 November; 55(11): 2827-2831






Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»